


come undone

by S_Hylor



Series: Bingo Round 1 2018 [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Past Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-20 07:47:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14890469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/S_Hylor/pseuds/S_Hylor
Summary: There's exes, evil exes and then just plain evil.





	come undone

**Author's Note:**

> Cap Iron Man Bingo Round One fill for the square "evil exes". 
> 
> I borrowed the idea of referencing Scott Pilgrim from SirSapling, and then ultimately made it far angstier than it needed to be. 
> 
> Warnings for referenced past rape/non-con and possibly a warped idea held by the victim of what happened. There is no details though, it's all open to how you interpret the reactions. This is not okay, it is not victim blaming, it is a snapshot moment of a much larger story (not getting written) that is entirely without context or conclusion.

He could blame the movie. Or he could blame Clint for insisting they watch the movie, because “ _one of the actors kinda looks like Steve_ ” not that Tony could see the resemblance at all.

Or he could blame Thor for asking if any one of them had a series of evil exes. There had been a lot of pointed looks in his direction, Hill, Rhodey, Natasha and Clint, and way to judge a guy, but Thor had quickly distracted everyone with tales about some of his exes. At that point it became kinda of fun, poking fun at past dalliances they’d had and some of the more crazy dates they’d had. Natasha even chipped in with a few, but Tony is half convinced they were all missions and he isn’t sure if that technically counts.

When they turned to look back at him, Tony held his hands up. “Hey now, just because I have a few names on my list of exes, does not make any of them evil. I have exceptional taste in people, and I don’t kiss and tell.”

There’s a series of boos from around the room, except for Steve, sitting on the floor, leaning back against his legs, who tips his head back enough to give tight smile. He reaches out, digging his fingers into Steve’s hair and scratching at his scalp, watching as some of the tension bleeds out of his shoulders.

He still marvels at this thing he has with Steve, new and delicate, and he isn’t about to jeopardise that by gloating about past exploits.

“Don’t worry, babe,” He reassures as Steve all but melts back against his legs, head tipping back onto his knees. “You don’t need to defeat any of them in order to date me.”

The smile Steve gives him this time is more expressive. “Good to hear, I don’t think I’d win against Pepper anyhow.”

“Alright, lovebirds, break it up.” Sam calls out, flicking a popcorn kernel at Steve, missing his left shoulder by a few centimetres. “What about you, Cap? Any evils exes?”

Steve tenses up again, Tony can feel every muscle in his back knotting up against his legs. He tries to calm him again, rubbing his fingertips against Steve’s scalp, but his hand is dislodged as Steve suddenly leans forward.

“C’mon, share with the class.” Clint calls out as he rolls over the backrest of the couch and pads off towards the kitchen. He appears a moment later with more beers in hand, doling then out before flopping back on the couch, landing half on top of Rhodey who gives an indignant grunt and pushes him away.

There’s a brittle line to Steve’s shoulders when Natasha mentions Peggy. He shakes his head. “We never went on a date, so technically she isn’t my ex.”

“Barnes then?” Sam asks, and Steve’s shoulders hunch down slightly. “The comics certainly made it sound like you were close.”

“Shove off, Wilson, he was like my brother.” Steve grates out, like he’s trying for exasperated but misses and falls somewhere closer to warning.

It’s like watching a slow motion car crash, Tony thinks, he can see it happening but there is nothing he can go to stop it. Steve pulls his legs up and rolls forward onto his feet and stands in a liquid movement that Tony can’t help but envy and appreciate at the same time, grabs the bowl that had had popcorn in it and starts to head towards the kitchen, when Hill speaks up.

He’s sure it’s because she’s just caught up in the moment. Tony can’t think of any other reason as to why she’d have said what she did.

“I wouldn’t put a lot of stock in comics, Sam, they’re propaganda at best. If anyone fits the bill for obsessed stalker ex, it would have been Howard Stark, there are a lot of detailed documentation on his efforts to find Steve.”

He’s going to brush it off, maybe even make a joke about it, but he’s still watching Steve so he sees the way he freezes in place. Hears the bowl crack when Steve’s hand clenches too tightly around the rim. His stomach sinks when Steve turns enough to look at him, face pale and eyes huge, like a deer in the headlights.

Something bitter and twisted and sour rolls in his stomach and tries to claw up his throat as he croaks out, “My dad?”

“Father and then son.” Thor muses, his back to Steve and unable to see the train wreck of emotions going on behind him that everyone else can. Clint throws the DVD remote at him and glares an obvious order to shut up.

 _His dad._ He thinks again, feeling acrid and rotten on the inside, like his heart has withered and died. He watches as Steve reaches out to set the bowl down on the bar, missing it by a good foot and letting go anyway. The bowl clatters onto the tiles, bouncing and spinning. Steve mouths something that might have been _I’m so sorry_ , turns and bolts.

The rooms is silent. Tony can feel all eyes on him. He only looks at Rhodey, who is looking at him unbridled concern. “Tones? I’m sure it’s not what you’re thinking.”

Except he’s sure it is. A conversation he’d overheard, drunk enough they’d thought he was asleep, sober enough he’d remembered it. Howard and Obie talking to each other, drunk enough they gloated about conquests of the past. Howard talking about the war. About Captain America.

“ _Not after the serum, he would have knocked me flat. Didn’t put up much of a fight before that though.”_

The words echo in his head, making sense now when they hadn’t as a twelve year old.

“Oh, fuck.” He chokes the words out, feeling like he’s going to be sick. Scrambling off the couch he glares around the room. “Way to go, team. Stellar fucking work.”

He starts off in the direction that Steve had gone.

“Tony, what are you going to do?” Rhodey calls out, following him out of the room at a jog, looking worried, but as though he means to defuse a situation if he needs to.

“I’m going to go make sure my boyfriend isn’t thinking anything stupid.” _Or doing anything stupid._ He doesn’t add, swallowing down the bile rising in the back of his throat. “Like that this changes how I feel about him.”

Rhodey nods, reaching out to grip his shoulder tightly before letting go. “Okay. If you need me, just call.”

  


  


He finds Steve in their bedroom. His bedroom, that Steve had moved into the week prior. Their bedroom. Except Steve is sitting on their bed, his duffel bag at his feet, some clothes shoved into it, a shirt gripped tightly in his hands.

“Please don’t leave me.” Tony feels his heart breaking as the words crawl across his tongue, tasting like copper.

Steve doesn’t look up, he just hunches his shoulders further down, dropping his head. “Didn’t think you’d want me here after that. I’m sorry, Tony.”

“I don’t want you to go.” It’s the truth, plain and simple. He’s been happy these last few months with Steve. He doesn’t want to lose that. “Unless you really want to.”

Steve flinches, his head jerking up. His eyes are red, but it doesn’t look like he’s been crying. “No. I don’t want to leave.”

“Good then.” Tony tries to sound confident, but he sounds too relieved.

Steve’s gaze slides away from his, looking anywhere else in the room. “I didn’t. I mean. Want to. You know. With Howard.”

The words, the tone, Steve complete inability to say what happened just cements the idea that had already been forming in his mind. The sick feeling comes back twice as sharp. He wishes he didn’t know. Wishes anew that he wasn’t related to Howard.

“I know.”

Steve’s gaze darts back to him. “You know?”

He nods, takes a short step forwards. When Steve doesn’t react, he walks closers, sitting down on the bed, a little bit away from Steve. “When I was younger I heard Howard say something. I didn’t understand it then. But now I do.”

Steve throws the shirt down into the duffel bag, whole body tense. Pressing his face into his hands his shoulders jerk a few times as he sucks in a few deep breathes.

“Whatever he did, whatever happened, Steve, that wasn’t right. It wasn’t your fault, and it certainly doesn’t make him your ex. It makes him an abusive prick.” He shifts a little closer, trying to keep his voice even, despite feeling like he’s going to shake out of his skin with rage. He’d never thought it possible to hate his father more than he already did.

Steve shoots him another glance. His jaw clenches, but he looks close to breaking. “I didn’t want to.”

“I know.” Tony whispers, shuffling a little closer. He reaches out slowly, only wrapping his arm around Steve’s shoulders when he leans closer.

“I didn’t want to.” Steve repeats, leaning into him, pressing close.

“I know, sweetheart.” Tony whispers, pressing kisses into Steve’s hair. “I believe you.”


End file.
